Terrazzo floor strip



June 14, 1938. J. L. ZANIN TERRAZZO FLOOR STRIP Filed Aug. 8, 1955 3 WWW 1 MIMI/MmMum INVENTOR. L/OS'P/ A .Z/l/w/v.

Patented June 14, 1 938 7 UNITED STATES TERRAZZO FLOOR STRIP Joseph L. Zanin, New .York, N. Y.

Application August 8,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to metal strips employed to divide into panels, patterns or designs, areas of cement mixtures such as floors, walls and the like, commonly known in the art as, terrazzo 5 or terrazzo mosaic, and the strips are commonly known in the art as terrazzo strips.

Terrazzo strips as generally known in the art, are of two types, first, the conventional strip and second, the heavy top strip, and it is this To last mentioned type, to wit; the heavy top terrazzo strip with which the present invention has to do.

For many reasons, it is desirable to construct heavy top terrazzo strips from two elements of different thicknesses of material, the element being secured together in such manner that the thicker or heavier of the two elements will be the one exposed for wear.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a new and novel construction whereby two elements which form a device of the aforementioned character may be secured together to produce a rigid unitary structure.

A further object of the invention resides in a "5' novel construction which is both highly efiicient for the purpose intended, and of relatively cheap and simple manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the nature of the invention is bet- 3' ter understood and reference is therefore had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view broken away of a portion of a terrazzo floor showing a terrazzo strip constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention in place therein,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view partly broken away of a strip constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on an enlarged scale substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig ure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary distended View,

Figure 5 is a detail sectional View showing the manner in which the terrazzo strip is formed, and;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a terrazzo strip constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises a base strip I0 and a top bar I I.

The base strip II] is of relatively thin material of which sheet brass is one very good example and is of the desired width and length.

The top bar is preferably formed from the 1935, Serial No. 35,239 (oi. 94-47) same material. It is, however, heavier than the base strip and is provided on one of its edges with a channel l2. This channel I2 is adapted to receive one edge of the base strip iii in order that the top bar and base strip may be secured together.

Suitable means is provided for securing together the base strip and top bar and in the present embodiment of the invention, this means 1 consists of the provision of a plurality of openings formed in the side walls of the channel I2 and into which a portion of the base strip Ill is forced after it has been severed from the base strip.

In Figures 1 to 4 is shown one form of the invention in which the portion struck from the base strip H] and which is partially severed therefrom has its free edge or portion directed towards that edge of the base strip which is received in the channel. In carrying. out this formof the invention, the walls of the channel l2 are provided with a plurality of openings 56 which are preferably circular in shape although they may be other shape if desired. These openings are so positioned in the walls of the channel that 25 when the base strip is inserted into the channel a portion of the base strip, at least, will bridge the openings It. By means of a suitable tool which is inserted through one of the openings I6, the base strip H) has a portion struck there'- 30 from and this portion will be projected into the opening in the opposite wall of the channel which, it will be understood, registers with that opening in which the tool is positioned.

The tool as shown in Figure 5 and is desig- 3 nated l1 and is provided on its end with a cutting edge l8 which, however, does not extend entirely around the end of the tool. The tool being inserted in one of the openings l6 and operated by pressure or by a blow, will sever a portion of the base strip Ill along the line designated 2|, after which the severed portion will be struck from the body portion of the base strip l0 into the opening l6 which is directly opposite that opening through which the tool operates. The portion severed and projecting into the opening to form a lock between the base strip l0 and the top bar II is designated 28 in Figure 5 and it will be noted that the operation is so carried out that this portion 20 will not project from the top bar I I when the top bar and the base strip have been united. It will also be noted that the portion 20 is offset with respect to the main body portion of the base strip [0, thus forming a lock between the base strip in and the top bar, this lock being designated by the reference character 22.

In Figure 6 there is a slightly modified form of the invention. In this form of the invention the portion struck from the base strip I is designated 30 and it will be noted that the tool has been turned around in constructing this form of the invention in order that the severed portion 30 will have its free edge 3| directed towards the center of the base strip rather than towards the edge, as in the heretofore described form. In this construction the severed edge which is designated 32 of the portion 30, engages the defining edge of one of the openings H5 in the walls of the channel as at 33 and prevents the withdrawal of the base strip H] from the top bar ll after the portions 30 have been offset with respect to the main body portion of the base strip Ill.

From the foregoing it will'be apparent that the present invention provides a new and novel' means whereby the base strip and top bar of a terrazzo strip of the heavy top type may be effectively secured together. Furthermore, the present invention provides for the foregoing result in a highly efiicient manner.

While the invention has been herein illustrated in two of its preferred forms, it is to be understood that the same may be carried out in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof nel to receive an edge of the base strip, the

side walls of said channel having openings therein in spaced relation to each other, and portions struck from the base strip and forced into the openings in the channel walls of the top bar to secure the base strip and top bar together, said struck out portions being partially severed from the base strip and lying wholly within their respective openings of the top bar.

2. A terrazzo strip comprising a base strip of moderate'thickness and a top bar of relatively thicker cross section, said top bar having a channel to receive an edge of the base strip, the side walls of said channel having spaced open ings therein, and partially severed portions struck from the base strip into engagement with the edges of said openings to secure the base strip and top bar together and lying wholly within the confines of the top bar.

3. A terrazzo strip comprising a base strip and a top bar, and means for securing the base strip and top bar together, said means comprising a channel formed in the top bar and adapted to receive one edge of the base strip, openings formed in the side walls of said channel, and portions struck from said base strip, said portions projecting into and lying wholly within their respective openings and each having engagement with a portion of the defining edge of the respective opening in which it is received and substantially conforming in shape to the shape of that portion of the edge of the opening with which it engages. a

4. A terrazzo strip comprising a base strip and a top bar, one of which elements is formed from thicker material than the other, a channel formed in the thicker elements for the reception of one 'of the edges of the thinner element, the side walls of said channel having openings therein and means carried by the thinner element for reception in the openings of the side walls of the channel to secure the thinner element in the channel of the thicker element, said means being partially severed from the thinner elements and lying wholly within the confines of the thicker element.

5. A terrazzo strip comprising two elements one of which elements has a channel to receive, with a snug fit, an edge of the other element, the channeled element having openings in the side walls of the channel, and means partially severed with respect to and struck from the body portion of the element received in the channel and lying wholly within their respective openings in the side walls of the channel, to secure the elements together in a unitary structure.

6. A terrazzo strip comprising a base strip of moderate thickness and a top bar of relatively thicker cross section, said top bar having a channel to receive an edge of the base strip, the side walls of said channel having openings therein in spaced relation to each other, and portions struck from the base strip and forced into the opention wholly within the confines of the thickness U of the channel'member.

'7. A terrazzo strip comprising two elements is thicker than the other, the thicker element having a channel to receive, with a snug fit, an

edge of the other element, and openings in the side walls of the channel of the channeled member, said openings being arranged in pairs with the openings in each pair arranged in registration with each other whereby a portion of the thicker member, may be off-set into either opening of a pair of openings in the side-walls of the channel, to secure the members together.

JOSEPH L. ZANIN.

thinner member disposed in the channel of the 

